Electronic and electro-mechanical gaming machines (EGMs) are systems that allow users to place a wager on the outcome of a random event, such as the spinning of mechanical or virtual reels or wheels, the playing of virtual cards, the rolling of mechanical or virtual dice, the random placement of tiles on a screen, etc. Manufacturers of EGMs have incorporated a number of enhancements to the EGMs to allow players to interact with the EGMs in new and more engaging ways. For example, early slot machines allowed player interaction by pulling a lever or arm on the machine. As mechanical slot machines were replaced by electronic slot machines, a range of new player interface devices became available to EGM designers and were subsequently incorporated into EGMs. Examples of such interface devices include electronic buttons, wheels, and, more recently, touchscreens and three dimensional display screens.
Previous electronic gaming machines for wagering relied on hand operated controls. More recently, EGMs have been developed that allow players to interact with the machine using other types of inputs, such as haptic sensors, eye tracking, etc. Some video game systems and machines allow input using a user's feet, such as the foot touchpad used in Dance Dance Revolution by Konami or the Wii balance board by Nintendo. Such input devices may not be ideal for using in a casino environment, however, because they may require the user to stand on the input device, while casino patrons often prefer to sit while playing EGMs in a casino environment.